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Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Volume 11 Issue 1 The Journal of Mine Action Article 46 July 2007 Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans Christoph Frehsee MineWolf Systems AG Follow this and additional works at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal Part of the Defense and Security Studies Commons, Emergency and Disaster Management Commons, Other Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration Commons, and the Peace and Conflict Studies Commons Recommended Citation Frehsee, Christoph (2007) "Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans," Journal of Mine Action : Vol. 11 : Iss. 1 , Article 46. Available at: https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol11/iss1/46 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Center for International Stabilization and Recovery at JMU Scholarly Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction by an authorized editor of JMU Scholarly Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans by ChristophFrehsee: Frehsee Humanitarian (11.1) Mine Clearance in the Balkans 1/4/16, 10:45 AM Contents * Editorials * Focus * Feature * Making It Personal * Notes from the Field * Profiles * Research and Development * News Briefs * Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans by Christoph Frehsee [ MineWolf Systems AG ] The following article describes the development of the new Mini MineWolf mine-clearing machine. The machine is remote-controlled and allows for clearance without risking the lives of deminers. With successful results in Balkan countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia, the new Mini MineWolf has proven itself to be reliable tool in helping clear the region of landmines. Since May 2004, MineWolf Systems has accumulated 7.4 million square meters (1,829 acres) of demining experience in the Balkans with its mechanical mine-clearing machine, the MineWolf. Based on this operational experience and substantial user feedback from Norwegian People's Aid, which operates with us in the region, the special physical, technical, logistical and economical demands of mine clearing in dispersed rural areas was recognized. The requirements for these special circumstances had ramifications not only on machine design, but also on supply chain, transport issues and cost, and resulted in a major new design, the Mini MineWolf. The first remote-controlled unit was delivered to Bosnia-Herzegovina in May 2006 where the Bosnia-Herzegovina Mine Action Centre accredited the machine and NPA put it through rigorous trials in Brčko. The results fully met MineWolf Systems' and NPA's demanding expectations: 5000–10,000 square meters (5,979–11,960 square yards) of clearance per day depending on terrain and vegetation. Based on the good results in Bosnia-Herzegovina, five months later the commercial company Tornado d.o.o. deployed a second unit. This machine also achieved accreditation by the Croatian Mine Action Centre through testing. The results of the accreditation test are summarized in this paper. Size Matters In regions such as Bosnia-Herzegovina, where hostilities ceased over 10 years ago, demining efforts initially focused on high-priority clearance tasks crucial to economic activity: roads, airports and urban areas. This left numerous scattered pockets of smaller, second-priority suspect areas in remote regions. Demining of these dispersed areas has now become a priority.1 In order to support these tasks with mechanical preparation, a small and compact solution was needed. For tasks of less than 60,000 or 80,000 square meters (71,759 or 95,679 square yards), the deployment of a large-area clearance machine is logistically complicated due to the transport requirements of the large machines; it is also economically unattractive due to the large associated fuel, transportation, personnel and supply-chain costs. Guaranteed Results over Irregular Ground Scattered minefields in rural areas still inhibit post-war recovery and economic advancement of agricultural http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/11.1/r-and-d/frehsee/frehsee.shtml Page 1 of 5 Published by JMU Scholarly Commons, 2007 1 Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans byJournal Christoph of Conventional Frehsee (11.1) Weapons Destruction, Vol. 11, Iss. 1 [2007], Art. 46 1/4/16, 10:45 AM communities, which make up a majority of the area of Bosnia-Herzegovina. They also present an array of challenging terrains: wooded areas, dense vegetation, marshlands, irregular and rocky ground and slopes. For humanitarian- demining purposes, this type of terrain is more reliably cleared via a tiller system where dense vegetation, hard ground, tree stumps and rocks can shield a mine from a flail. The tiller system of the Mini MineWolf delivers guaranteed soil depth penetration up to 25 centimeters (10 inches), a guarantee not offered by flail systems.2 This soil-depth penetration is an important aspect to assuring quicker and more reliable manual verification. Getting to Work Access roads to remote rural areas are often primitive and unpaved, presenting an obstacle to oversized and heavy convoys. Once in the mine-contaminated region, irregular and muddy ground can also quickly trap non-tracked demining equipment. What is required to meet this challenge is a robust, inexpensive-to-operate, easily and rapidly transported solution for clearing smaller geographically dispersed minefields in a variety of terrains. Additionally, a self-contained maintenance and spare-parts package is required to maximize operational days in remote areas and minimize the reliance on an external supply chain. In response to these requirements, MineWolf Systems developed a remote-controlled mechanical demining machine, the Mini MineWolf. It weighs 8.1 metric tons (9 U.S. tons), which is a smaller, lower-cost version of the 25.5-metric ton (28.1-U.S.-ton) MineWolf that has been operating in the Balkans since 2004. The Mini MineWolf was designed to meet the following challenges: Easily transportable. The Mini MineWolf is built to fit into a standard 20-foot container or on the back of a medium all- terrain truck with tiller attached (see photo, above right). Minimal reliance on external supply chain. The container itself comprises a mobile workshop that can transport the Mini MineWolf as a single unit. The container is fitted with a generator and a workbench and contains a compressor, welding equipment and other tools required to maintain and implement any necessary repairs on-site. This additional equipment reduces downtime and increases efficiency. Operation in challenging environments. The Mini MineWolf is a tracked system suited for use with a variety of vegetation, mud, weather and irregular terrain. It is especially effective against dense vegetation. Shipping in standard, 20-foot container. Photo courtesy Guaranteed ground penetration. Unlike flail systems, the tiller of MineWolf Systems provides a reliable depth penetration of up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) in a wide variety of difficult terrain. Patented tiller design minimizes blast damage. The Mini MineWolf excels in terms of reliability and survivability. The open basket design allows a mine blast to dissipate through the tiller, avoiding or minimizing damage. Guaranteed coverage. Because of its rotation speed, ground speed and clearance depth, the Mini MineWolf tiller operation guarantees an effective and reliable clearing process that is unobtainable using common flail systems. A tight predefined penetration pattern makes sure even the smallest anti- personnel mines are hit (see image, lower right). A modular design also allows easy replacement of chisels. Testing and Accreditation Open tiller design to minimize blast damage. Photo http://www.jmu.edu/cisr/journal/11.1/r-and-d/frehsee/frehsee.shtml Page 2 of 5 https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/cisr-journal/vol11/iss1/46 2 Humanitarian Mine Clearance in the Balkans by ChristophFrehsee: Frehsee Humanitarian (11.1) Mine Clearance in the Balkans 1/4/16, 10:45 AM To verify the performance claims previously described, the Mini courtesy of MineWolf Systems MineWolf was successfully tested and accredited by BHMAC in May 2006, followed by mandatory testing and accreditation by CROMAC for operation in Croatia. Testing was carried out 16–18 October 2006, at the Cerovac test site for demining machines near Karlovac. The goals of the test were successfully achieved, and can be summarized as follows: Determine general technical characteristics of the machine and of the working tool. Determine the soil-processing depth for different types of soil and the speed of motion of the machine. Determine the effectiveness and survivability against live AP mines (PMA-1A, PMA-2, PMA-3, PMR-2A, PROM- 13). Determine machine endurance during repeated AP mine activation. Determine the efficiency and effectiveness of the remote-control device. Determine possibilities of using the machine in mine-suspected areas. Determine possibilities of machine use in different types of soil, terrain gradients (horizontal and vertical slope), as well as for vegetation clearing. Determine the necessary machine logistics, servicing and maintenance requirements. AP Mine Activation and Survivability Results On 26 October 2006, testing was conducted with AP mines at the test site for demining machines. The following results were achieved: PMA-1A. Five mines were placed at the planned depths (5, 10, 10, 15 and 20 centimeters)4 and a four-meter5 distance, and armed with appropriate fuses. Result: The machine activated all mines; neither the working tool nor the machine was damaged. PMA-2. Five mines were placed at the planned depths (5, 10, 10, 15 and 20 centimeters)4 and a four-meter5 distance, and armed with appropriate fuses. Result: The machine activated all mines; neither the working tool nor the machine was damaged. PMA-3. Five mines were placed at the planned depths (5, 10, 10, 15 and 20 centimeters)4 and a four-meter5 distance, and armed with appropriate fuses. Result: The machine activated all mines; neither the working tool nor the machine was damaged. PMR-2A. The first mine was placed in front of the machine at around an eight-meter5 distance and armed with the appropriate fuse.
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